King of Marrow
by TheMasterPlan7823
Summary: Dead parents? Vigilante? Dark clothes? Yep, I fill out that list. My name is Otto, a half ghoul, and this is the story of how my life changed for the better
1. Chapter 1

Twelve years... It's been twelve years since I last saw my parents, and the lingering pain of loss drilled a slightly bigger hole in my heart with each passing year. Life during that time when they where still around was amazing. My father, a respectable man who taught me a thing or two about the medical field, and my mother, a lady of a more... 'refined palette', let's say.

Twelve years since that dreadful day that they died, mother died trying to protect father against a pack of ghouls, and father was eaten alive right in front of me. That might've been a bit much even if they decided to kill me too, but as I would soon learn, it's more tortuous to let a person live with the trauma over just killing them. As much as I'd like to forget, I need to hold on to as many memories of my folks as possible, I need to remember what they taught me, their morals, and to live on for them.

I lived in a abandoned building, I think it was used as a workplace for people who made eroge stuff (the term for Japanese pornographic games/books/animation for the uninformed). I found three posters and six books, unfortunately, I needed these. Posters for a makeshift blanket and 'entertaining' myself with the books, I've read "Please don't stop" so many times now, I can mentally hear it every five minutes. It's a disgusting place, but it's home. Slinging on my coat, I take a look outside one of the broken windows and hear something.

BGM: A Besieged City - Stuart Chatwood

"Get away from me!" A woman screamed.

For some reason, likely my stomach replacing my brain for a moment, I smiled. Pulling my hood up, I jumped out the window and hopped from building to building until I was close enough to assess the situation.

"C'mon lady, we just wanna see yer tits!" One of the two thugs said, unfolding a butterfly knife.

"Leave me alone, please!" She screamed again.

It wasn't long before the other guy pounced on her, tearing off her shirt and making his way to her bra. 'Enough is enough', I thought, before slipping on the ski tube I found (and by found, I mean stole), jumping down quietly before clearing my throat to catch their attention.

"You, please help me!" The woman shouted.

"Shut it, hoe!" One of the thugs shouted.

The one closest to me zipped up his pants before turning to look my direction. I could clearly see the disappointed grimace on his hideous face.

"The hell are you looking at, kid? This ain't a show, so get lost!" He said.

I remained quiet.

"What, are you deaf? Beat it, dumbass!"

Closer, just a little bit closer... I'm licking my lips in anticipation.

He just rolled his eyes before running at me with his knife. Before he was within a meter of me, I activated my kagune, forming a caripace of black flesh, spikes, glowing blue tubes, and metallic clawed hands on both of my arms. As well as my eye going grey and red.

"Oh shit! He's a ghoul!" The guy still holding the woman shouted.

"So what? He's just one, we can take him!" The guy with the knife said before getting within stabbing range.

I lifted my right arm to block his attack, but he feinted at the last second and managed to get a hit in. Couldn't feel it anyway, but I let him have his satisfaction for the brief seconds I was letting him live. Swiftly, I grabbed his head with my left hand and crushed his skull in my palm, throwing him to the side. His head looks like a deflated sports ball that went through a can of meat and tomato sauce. His friend didn't even bother trying to fight, he just ran. I caught up with him and severed his top half from his bottom half. The woman sat close to the ground, trying to cover herself, I deactivated my kagune and came up behind her, handing her the jacket she was wearing before. She took it and backed away.

"Sorry you had to see that, but a guy's gotta eat. Get home safe." I said before taking a trash bag out of my coat pocket.

I hummed to myself while I sliced them into smaller pieces, when I was done, I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed back home. Reaching the third floor of the building, I threw the bag onto one of the tables that were lying around, making a lovely SPLAT noise as it landed.

"Bon appetit..." I mumbled to myself as I untied the bag and pulled out a severed arm.

My mouth is watering already, I haven't eaten in days! It's hard to find a catch this easy, before any of the others get to the good ones first. I took one look at the forearm and bit into it, taste like what I assume beef ragu to taste like. Halfway through the second guy, I could smell something else in the building with me.

"A lone ghoul taking the role of heroic vigilante, it's rare to find someone who thinks like that."

I turn my head to the side, in my peripheral vision, there is a old man in a black vest and fancy shirt, his eyes shut. Next to him is a girl that is a good five inches shorter than me, she has short indigo hair that covered half of her face, and wore a black turtleneck with denim short shorts, ripped violet stockings, and camo combat boots.

"What do you want? If it's food you want, tough luck, I ain't sharing." I said in a low voice.

"I came to offer you a better place to live, young man." He answered.

Young man? Now he's patronizing me. I stood up and completely faced them.

"And I've been living on my own for twelve years, what's another eighty-six?" I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"We're giving you an offer that others hardly can get, why do you gotta be such a pain in the ass?" The girl said.

I glared at the both of them. What was my one rule? Don't trust anyone. So, I'm obviously skeptical, especially after I caught word that some ghouls have resorted to hunting other ghouls. As if we weren't as cannibalistic as a species could get.

"Sorry but I'm going to give you one warning, leave now." I said coldly.

They didn't budge.

"Don't say I didn't warn ya." I said before morphing my right arm into a short blade, I whipped my hand forward and the blade extended into a long tendril covered in smaller blades, but before it could connect with the old geezer, the girl jumped in the way and blocked it with what I assume is her kagune, a large red crystalline wing.

"Ooh, this might prove to be more fun than I originally hoped!" I exclaimed before retracting my whip and morphing it into a blade like tying a surfboard to my arm.

BGM: Breathe - Leo Moracchioli

She turned to the old man, "Mind if I knock some sense into him?"

"Be my guest…" He shrugged with folded arms before stepping aside.

But I was already close enough, I drop-kicked her out of the window and dashed after her. Landing a few feet away from her, I crouched and held my blade behind me. The girl jumped out of the crater she formed and swung her arm at me, the wing on her shoulder clashing with my arm. Shaking her off, I took a swing at her which she somehow managed to dodge.

"Impressive, now let's see if you can adapt!" I shouted.

I morphed my arms into a multitude of tendrils and grabbed two dumpsters behind me.

"Here, catch!" I sarcastically said as I tossed both of the oversized trash cans, as expected, she sliced through both of them.

I morphed my hands into giant stone like fists, practically throwing myself in the woman's direction, slamming both my hands down and creating a shock wave powerful enough to knock her off her feet. I preformed a roundhouse kick to get some distance from her, turning my arm into a whip-blade again and grappling her leg, slamming her onto the ground over and over.

"You gonna get serious? Or am I gonna have to cut our fun short?" I said.

She smirked and raised her wing, several points at the end extending.

"I'm just getting started." She said before firing a barrage of crystal shots at me.

Morphing again, this time I'll play more defensively. I made my arms into spiked shields and had my front covered, keeping a crack in between them so I can actually see what's going on. When she noticed the spiked tortoise shells attached to my arms, she leapt in front of me and tried to force them open! That's the brutality I was looking for! I got the claws out and swung my arms down, getting her to make a larger gap between us. I lunged at her, actually managing to scratch her, blood trickled down her face immediately.

"That does it!" She roared, her kagune glowing as if it were fire.

I gulped as I prepped for another attack, but she moved too damn fast! Immediately pummeling me again and again and you get the idea. It actually hurt, that's the scary part. It made me think, 'Hey, I might actually fucking die here'. If I didn't do something, this would be one short brawl. I kicked her off of me and started punching her, delivering a hard knock to her gut before slamming her chin into my knee. The girl backed away before I had a chance to attack, wiping the blood from her mouth.

"Damn, you're good, too good..." She cursed under her breath.

"Ready to surrender?" I demanded.

She glanced at me before performing a spin kick to my face, unfortunately, I grabbed her leg, pulling her towards me and slamming her down with an overhead punch. She knows how to show a good time, I'll give her that. But I don't want it to end yet, but if I don't, these guys will either alert other ghouls to me or worse, the CCG, or they'll eat me themselves. Without another thought, I formed my claws again and got ready to pounce, but she sweeped my legs and immediately dominated the situation.

"You need to keep your legs spaced farther apart next time, fighting 101." She said.

She stared at me for a bit, making me incredibly uncomfortable.

"Your eye, it's just the one that's red. You're a half ghoul." She said, I could practically smell the venom in her tone.

"You couldn't smell me? I thought ghouls were good at deciphering their own kind." I smirked.

"Sorry, but your stench of trash masked it!" She yelled.

"Or are you just embarrassed to admit that a half blood kicked your ass?!" I'm just nailing all the buttons with a hammer, aren't I?

The old man walked up to us, motioned for the girl to get off me, and gave me a hand up.

"Your skills and strength are formidable, but that alone won't carry you far." He said.

I looked at him like he was crazy, who wouldn't? Skill and power is how I survived this long. I've stolen, killed, and sabotaged to get this far, and now this fart-knocker starts wagging his finger at me?!

"Then give me one good reason why I should accept your 'hospitality'." I grumbled.

"Well, I believe that it has been a long standing rule to help your fellow men and women in need. You should accept because we offer you a place to avoid prying eyes, flesh when you need it, and good company. In return, you must work at my coffee shop." He said, a smile forming on his face.

Well, that's as compelling an argument I'm going to get, isn't it? You know what, why the hell not? I could use a softer place to rest my head. I nodded in agreement, he placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Then allow us to introduce ourselves, my name is Yoshimura, and the young lady you sparred with is Touka Kirishima."

She looked up and gave me a half wave, "Sup? You really pack a punch, you know that?"

I scratched the back of my head and smirked, "Aw, keep it up with that sweet talk and you're gonna make me blush."

Of course, she glared at me, there goes that first flirting attempt. Just wait until I up my game, Kirishima. Maybe this is a good opportunity for me, maybe I could get those one-way boomerang pies I keep hearing about.

"But, first things first, what is your name?" Yoshimura asked.

I looked at them both, before smiling like a punk.

"Kaneda. Otto Kaneda."

As we reached the shop, I tried to make some small talk with Kirishima. Not so much with Yoshimura, as he left to take care of something. I spaced out when he brought it up, so what it was he left for, I don't know.

"So, how long have you been living like that?" Touka asked, snapping me out of my trance.

"On my own? For about twelve years." I answered.

Please drop the subject, I'd rather not talk about it.

"Wow, that long? What happened?" She asked.

After mentally punching myself in the stomach, I audibly sighed before turning to her and staring blankly.

"I'm not gonna get into details, but something bad with my parents happened." Thank Christ that she didn't ask anymore questions after that.

I'm bursting at the seems here! Luckily, we were already at this cafe place.

"Another question, what's up with your kagune? I've never seen one like it." Touka now looks at me with a studying expression, what little of one she can make.

"Half ghoul, remember? I can't make the required amount of RC cells to make just the weapon, so what little I have fuses with my arms, flesh and bones become stone and metal. It's fuckin' painful, but I've been getting used to it." I answered.

"Oh, sorry to bring it up." She replied before opening the door.

This place looks cozy enough, a good place to sit down and have a drink. Instead of giving me the tour, Touka lead me into a vacant room and shoved me in the shower.

"There should be some soap already in there." Touka said, closing the door in my face. "Leave your clothes out here, I'll wash them for you. Yoshimura should be back with some pajamas by the time you're done."

Rolling my eyes, I undressed and ducked into the washroom. It's been a long while since I had a shower, I don't sweat much, but that doesn't stop my clothes from getting dirty in other ways (interior bodily fluids, dirt, etc.). Nice and warm, at least now I can straighten out my hair, I've got the worst bedhead in the world. My hair now making a canopy over my face, a chocolate brown over peach colored flesh and blue retinas.

What's that? You want a description of what's below the waist? Well...

Fuck You!

BGM: A muffled Herald of Gargos plays in the background

Ah, the seemingly emotionless girl listens to death metal, hurrah. It's surprising how loud that is, you could even feel the floor shake it was that loud. After a while, I finished washing up and found a clean shirt and sweatpants. But what caught my eye was a stuffed doll on the sink.

"Kibbles?" I asked.

There sat a stuffed raccoon. I touched his fur and held him close, my only friend. He was all I had when I was alone, wandering the streets as an orphan, Kibbles helped me when I needed encouragement, he was there when I needed him most.

"Hey, are you done yet?" Touka let herself into the room and knocked on the bathroom door.

"Give me a second." I said.

After wiping away the nostalgia tears, I put my pajamas on and walked out to the room, Touka was sitting at a small table, drumming her fingers on it. She was wearing a black t-shirt with a pink rabbit on it and grey sweatpants.

"Thanks for cleaning him." I said, referring to Kibbles.

"Oh, that?" She got up and stroked it's ears. "It finished washing first, so I fluffed him up and left it there for you."

"Thank you, it..." Touka glanced up at me before giving a little half smile.

"So, what's up with this? You like raccoons." She asked.

"Ever since I was a kid. He was my only friend for a long time." Touka tugged at Kibbles' whiskers before taking a step back.

"What changed that?"

"I got you and Yoshimura as friends, right?" I said all innocent-like.

Touka's face turned a little pink before she darted from the room.

"Well, g-g'night!" She said before I heard her door slam shut.

I yawned after looking at the nicely made bed in the corner, just thinking about it makes me tired. Running my hands over the sheets, my body magnetized itself to the bed and I immediately passed out. Best sleep I had in years.

I woke to a most wonderful sight, a small girl giving me the most adorable of stares. She was short, had light brown hair, and wore a white parka.

"Um, can I help you?" I said groggily.

"Are you new here? I've never seen you before." The girl asked, tilted her head to the side.

I yawned loudly before sitting up properly with Kibbles in my lap.

"So, what? You want a cookie or something?" I dryly said.

The girl started mumbling, what, is she diabetic or something? Then it hit me, she's a ghoul. They can't eat like I can. For some reason, I've been able to eat people food without throwing up. Father said that it might've been close to a birth defect, instead of making me hideous, it lets me eat something other than people. Just, one teeny tiny itty bitty catastrophically gargantuan problem, and that would be that I can't live off of people food! My body doesn't take in, or even register at all, the proper nutrients that I need to keep doing this whole cloak and claw shtick. But still, it's nice to be able to taste the things that I know that other ghouls will never experience.

"Ok, I get it. Did Touka send you?" I asked in my nicest tone possible.

"Yeah, big sis said that I'm allowed to punch you if you didn't wake up." The girl said in a happy voice.

That woman is pure evil! Sending a child to beat me in my sleep, how cruel! But to be honest, I wouldn't mind if Touka was the one doing the beating, if you catch my drift.

Am I a masochist? Maybe, but let's not get into serious details yet.

"Maybe I shouldn't lounge around in bed all day." I grumbled.

After making a head first collision with the floor, I dragged myself downstairs. Seems like the café hasn't opened yet, though Yoshimura is behind the counter with a cup of coffee and a plate of what looks like a medium-rare steak. The smell let's me know that it is cooked flesh, maybe to look less suspicious. Kirishima is studying with a sheet of paper in one of the booths, a look of frustration on her face.

"Good morning, Otto. You should eat before we discuss anything further." Yoshimura said.

With that, I ate quickly. What little I could taste reminded me of these filet mignon things I'd read about. Steaks wrapped in a single strip of bacon, those girls in those books where good at two things, you already know the first, now guess the second.

Anyway, after breakfast, Yoshimura said that I'm going to need more clothes if I'm going to contribute.

"Can't just keep going around in the same trench coat and beat-up shoes everyday, huh?" I asked.

Touka laughed and Yoshimura kept smiling, then continued.

"We also need to get your measurements taken." He added.

"A uniform? Sure, why not." I smiled at the thought of being like those guys in the mangas who look way to good in a suit, chicks going absolutely wild over him.

'It's Otto, oh my gosh!'

'He's sooooo cute!'

'Be the father of my children!'

I was stuck in my fantasies, giggling like a schoolgirl to myself. Leave to a smack in the face from Touka to get me out.

"Quit it, you're freaking me out!" She said.

"Anything for you, m'lady." I said condescendingly and did a graceful bow.

She blushed a dark red before running back to her booth. Yoshimura chuckled and I shot him a glare.

"You should put on something light, you and Kirishima will do the shopping for today."

"Actually, I've been meaning to ask, but who is the girl who woke me up? She's one of us, right?" I asked.

"Her Mother is a frequent costumer here, we babysit her while she works." Touka chimed in.

So, this place is kind of like a safe haven. I heard that one of the only human foods a ghoul can consume is coffee, not a bad plan Yoshimura, hiding under the guise of a cafe. About an hour and some small talk later, I threw on my blue shirt, jeans, and black shoes. Thank the almighty Buddha that these were cleaned last night, the smell was getting more and more noticeable by the hour.

"Are you going to just stare at the wall, or are we going to get our work done?" Touka smacked me in the back while walking towards the door.

"Right..." I groaned, stuffing the cash Yoshimura gave me in my pocket.

"Okay, we'll browse some stores and I'll try on whatever they have in blue." I mumbled.

Touka looked at me with a puzzled face, I glanced into her eye, beautiful cerulean... Stop it, Otto.

"What's your question?" I asked.

"You really like blue, don't you?" She responds.

"Well, duh! It's my favorite color." I answered.

"Mine too..." Touka mumbled.

I stared at her after hearing that, was that... legitimate embarrassment? Not the 'stop flirting with me' kind, the 'it's weird that we have something as stupid as that in common' variety.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Touka asked.

"You're cute..." I said, receiving a punch in the shoulder.

Okay, I get the whole 'how dare you exploit a minor weakness' thing. But if flirting is her weakness... Oh, the fun I'll have.

* * *

Like a certain red clad vampire, I decided to give our little King of Marrow a Twitter account, follow Otto at KanedaOtto, let him know if he should make one for Touka


	2. Chapter 2

After grabbing a selection of shirts, pants, underwear, socks, shoes, and a couple of jackets, Touka and I headed back to Anteiku. Yoshimura stood behind the counter and smiled as we walked in.

"I trust that you found what you needed?" He asked.

I held up the bags in my hands, smiling ear to ear.

"Good, now go upstairs and change into something more professional." He said, pointing his thumb back.

"But I didn't have my measurements taken."

"Just make do with what you have, we got to work!" Touka shouted.

I ran into my room, dumping the contents of my bags on my bed. Thinking quickly, I threw on a blue button up shirt, black vest, black dress pants, and leather shoes. I looked at myself in the mirror, not bad, if I say so myself and I clearly do. Touka stood outside my door, already in uniform and holding out a white apron.

"Just get the orders and I'll make the coffee." She said.

Considering I've only been here for a day and don't even know how to make coffee, that'll be quite the problem. I walked down the stairs and swiped a notepad and pen off of the counter. The first costumer was a man of middling age, thick glasses, slight balding, smelled of dish soap.

"I'd like a sea salt caramel macchiato, and make it snappy."

Wow, first day and I'm already given shit for working here. Maybe I'll follow him home and see what his insides taste like. I scribbled his order down and passed the demand to Touka. He got his order in due time. Next customer, a lavender haired guy and his black haired girlfriend, not exactly an opportunity to hit it up with the ladies. The guy ordered a hazelnut latte and the girl ordered a white mocha.

"Hello miss, what'll you be having-" My tongue was curbed by the sight of a beautiful woman with purple hair, white dress over a blue shirt, and the unmistakable scent of a Ghoul.

"I'll just have a vanilla latte." She said, barely looking up from her book.

While Touka was finishing her order, I went behind the counter and snuck a few of those blood sugar cubes that Yoshimura is so fond of in her drink. After taking a sip, the woman turned to me.

"This taste's a little funny, did something happen while making it?"

I simply grin and lean in closely, "I know what you are." I whispered.

She giggled before giving me the most terrifying smile I've ever seen, and her eyes flashed between Kagune mode and her normal colors. "That makes two of us."

I know I should be shitting my pants right now, but I can't help but laugh. "Whatever you say, babe."

The news came on and mentioned that multiple people were killed last night, I doubt it was those two guys I ate. The lady mentioned that there was Ghoul saliva on the bodies, and with the faint smell of blood on this chicks breath, I'm pretty sure that she's the one responsible, Rize Kamishiro. The tense atmosphere was suddenly broken by the sound of laughter, I turned my head to the source and saw a blonde haired guy laughing at his black haired friend.

"Come on, it's not that funny." The black haired one said.

I hear the sound of humiliation and see who I need to mock, but maybe I should keep listening to them.

"Man, you're hopeless! You can't take her to the bookstore on a first date!" Seriously? Oh, this is getting good!

"Why not? She might think it's an amazing idea!" Yeah, get some better friends and ditch this loser, blondie.

"Just don't do it, trust me, she'll think you're lame." I second that opinion, but I pity this girl if she didn't find Sir McWhines-a-lot lame already, must've said yes out of pity.

The black haired guy then started to stutter before saying that he'd take the girl to Big Girl, a burger chain that just opened up recently, I actually managed to sneak one of their burgers once, not bad, but super greasy. This actually got a laugh out of me, but I don't think they noticed. Okay, I had enough from just watching, now to start the mocking. But...

"Hey, listen to those two." I whispered in Touka's ear.

She gave me a weird look before staring at them, she clamped her hand over her mouth laughing before actually going over there. In fear of her getting hit on (because that's my job), I walk with her. At least she's intentionally making detours. While she was talking with an old lady, the blonde called her over, I'll keep a bit of distance for now.

"Hey, can I get a cappuccino? You want one too, Kaneki?" He asked.

"No thanks." He simply answered, bit of a downer, isn't he?

"Alright, one cappuccino..." Touka said while writing the order down.

"Oh, and..." Oh shit, here we go. "What is your name?"

I take a few steps closer, but I'm not going to make a scene. If I was, I'd be wearing a sign that reads 'I'M A GHOUL, COME SPIT ON ME!'

"T-Touka Kirishima." God, seeing her all embarrassed like that, she's so cute! How do I get it for myself?

"Then let me just cut to the chase!" Hide, apparently, got up in Touka's face. "Are you seeing anyone?"

Kaneki stood up in his chair, just making a fool out of himself, I decided that I had enough and briskly walked over to them. That's when I noticed the book this Kaneki guy had with him, it was the same book Rize was reading. I picked it up and examined it, 'The Black Goat's Egg', I've heard of this one, it's about a abusive mother who is also a serial killer, and similar tendencies are found in her son.

"Hey, what're you...?" Kaneki tried to make me let go of his book before I put it back on the table.

"Actually, I am." Touka said.

The three of us look at her before she hooked her arm around mine. "This is my boyfriend, say hi dearie."

"Uh... Hi? I'm Otto Kaneda." I reached my hand out.

Kaneki grasped my hand softly, not exactly muscle bound, this one, then shook.

"I'm Ken Kaneki, and this is Hideyoshi Nagachika." He said.

"Lucky you!" Hide said proudly.

"Yes, we couldn't be happier." Touka said before taking me into the back room.

She unhooked her arm and looked at me, her face was almost completely red. Oh, I just want to kiss her she's so cute.

"Thanks..." She mumbled.

"Hey, I don't mind, just warn me next time." I said, a stupid grin plastered on my face.

She sighed before her blush disappeared. "What do I owe you?"

"Excuse me?"

"I owe you something, name it." Touka's clearly getting mad, so...

"How about we go out for dinner?" I said.

Touka stared at me with her beautiful cerulean eyes, her hair slightly parted so I could see them. She nodded and we headed back out, Hideyoshi left, leaving Kaneki behind and honestly, I wouldn't blame him. Then he started to read through his book, occasionally taking glances at the walking food processor. She eventually noticed his creepy stares and pretended to be all shy about it, when really she'd be able to rip his ass in half before he could ask to smash. It might be best to make sure she doesn't eat this kid, I'd rather keep the collateral to a minimum.

When our shifts ended, Touka took me to see a friend of hers, a Ghoul who specialized in making masks. I forgot his name, unfortunately, but he was... Interesting to say the least.

"So, would you like a mask that's scary, intimidating, ornate?"

I looked through his selection, none of it really interested me, I then asked for a pencil and paper. He obliged and I drew my new facewear, it looked like the lower half of a skull, but also slightly mechanical, and we're not talking T-1000 shaped. Think of it as being skull in theme, something that an assassin might wear, maybe played by Stephen Russell. He said he'd work on it right away, he just needed something to help him get started, I gave him my ski tube and left.

"So, what does your mask look like?" I asked Touka as we wandered the streets.

She immediately went red faced. "Promise that you won't laugh."

I nodded.

"A rabbit."

A rabbit? Well, that explains it, she likes rabbits, doesn't help she's as cute as one. I just smiled and kept my mouth shut, Touka clearly thinking that I'm mentally judging her.

After a couple of days, my mask finally arrived, and just in time, too. I've been stalking Kaneki and Rize while waiting, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, at a first glance, but midway through their first date, I realized that she was lustfully hungry for his flesh, and not in the sexual way, maybe, I'm not sure how it is. My mask fit comfortably on my face and matched perfectly with my coat. After they left the restaurant, Rize begged Kaneki to take her home in fear of a Ghoul attack, ironic, right? I'm pretty sure the kid thought he was about to lay some pipe, but it'd be more dangerous than that if I don't intervene. The cattle that walks like a man followed Rize until she brought him near a dark alley that lead to a construction yard, where she began to toy with her food. She was laughing manically, tossing Kaneki around like he was a rag doll. I shouldn't step in yet, but something is pushing me to stop her.

BGM: Psycho - Muse

"Hey!" I shouted, leaping forward with my arm formed into a blade.

She dodged the strike, I quickly glanced at Kaneki, who was currently bleeding out from several bite and stab wounds. I need to make this quick.

"You... You were from the cafe." She says.

"I'm flattered that you remember me, but it won't save you."

Rize laughs and lunges her back tendrils at me, I morph my left arm into a shield, managing to keep them off, I spin around and slam my blade into the ground. She just lifted herself Doctor Octopus style with her tendrils, how the fuck did I not see that coming?

"Think I can't work around that?" I said before morphing my hands into a multitude of tendrils.

I grab Rize's arms and pull her down to ground level, then I deliver a Cuban heel to her lower jaw. The force of the kick sends her back a few feet, she glares at me, more pissed then ever.

"I'm going to tear you apart!" She screams, launching her tendrils into the ground to slingshot herself at me.

She starts with punching, which I'm happy to follow with, I grab her fist after she first swung and pull her closer, delivering a harsh blow to her ear. Then follow up with a swift poke to the gut, and a axe kick to the face. Then she tried to slam a tendril down on me, which I caught with a claw hand and threw her over. I lunged and actually got some slashes in before I was knocked back. She coughed up some blood before smirking at me.

"Caught you~." She creepily sang before using her Kagune to launch me upwards.

I landed on a steel beam, multiple actually, connected by thick wire. A lightbulb shone over my head. Rize was too distracted by Kaneki's succulent body to notice me cutting the wires around the site.

"Hey, flesh whore!" I shouted.

Her eyes widened when she saw me. Frozen like a deer in the headlights or a lizard in roller skates, Rize stood underneath the shadow of her impending doom.

"Here's to your crushing defeat!" I shouted before cutting the last wire and letting the beams fall on top of her.

Luckily, Kaneki wasn't hit with any of the beams. But I didn't stick around long enough to see if he was still alive, I booked it as soon as I heard sirens. That was a close call, not only did I save that kid, I took on Rize, the top bitch of the 20th ward, and won! I feel like a billion yen! Unfortunately, my fun was short lived when I saw that Touka was waiting for me, dressed in her pajamas, and a long scowl across her face.

"Care to explain what you were doing?" She asked, venom in her tone.

"I followed Kaneki and Rize, crushed her to death, not sure about Keneki." I said, better to tell the truth now over lie and get found out.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she nearly tackled me, I can hear her crying.

"You moron, you could've gotten killed!" She sobbed.

I stare at her for a bit, is this what they call attraction? She was obviously worried about me, not that she needed to be.

"But I'm fine, there's no need to cry anymore." I whispered as I wrapped my arms around her waist.

We stood there for a few hours, Touka's crying eventually stopped. She eventually got tired and I carried her to her room, I lay Touka in her bed and slowly close the door behind me.

"I'm fine, because I'll never leave you... I'll always be here, because..." I had no idea what I was saying, I didn't care if she could hear me or not, but I'm tired as hell.

Turns out the Kaneki fellow survived, fan-tucking-fastic. As he was released from the hospital, I tailed him to his apartment, I would hear grief wrecked sobs coming from it. If I didn't consider him a whiny bitch before, I certainly do now. Then I noticed a slight change, that bastard now smells like... Me! He's a Ghoul now?

Touka and I made it a rule to watch over him for at least an hour before clocking out. One night, Kaneki was wandering through the street, psychotically jibbering to himself.

"You think he's lost it?" Touka asked.

"He's not crazy, he's scared." I said before continuing to follow his movements.

Kaneki eventually stumbled upon another Ghoul, who was thankfully friendly and even offered some meat from his recent catch. Unfortunately, a ginger guy in glasses, snuck up behind him and decapitated him with a single kick.

"Now, what do you think you're doing, hunting on my feeding grounds?" He condescendingly asked.

"I-I wasn't, I swear I didn't kill that person, I-I was just passing by!" Kaneki screams, the ginger holding him up by the throat.

"Didn't do it? You know what? Picture this, your girlfriend is lying on the ground, naked with semen flowing out of her, and some guy with his pants around his ankles says 'I didn't do it, I was just passing by'!" Gross analogy, but effective.

"So, are we just gonna stand here?" I asked.

"Let's go." Touka says before we drop to the ground.

"... I'd kill 'em, so that's what I'm gonna do to you. If you trespass on my territory, you die."

"Hate to break it to ya, but this isn't 'your territory', ginger." I say in a cocky tone.

"So he wasn't trespassing, Nishiki. Let him go." Touka follows.

Nishiki looked at us and smirked, his grip tight on Kaneki's throat, I'm just hoping he either leaves or just kills the poor fuck, because I have a date with my right hand later.

"Seems you weren't stupid enough to come alone, Touka. What does it matter, that binge eating bitch is dead." He tries to justify, but I'm not having it, he does drop Kaneki to the ground, causing him to fall directly on his face.

"And what about her death made this your hunting range? I thought it was all just free game." I said.

"Otto, don't you know about the distribution agreements?" Touka asked.

"Is this really the best time?"

Nishiki laughed, making us both to blush. "Should I go and leave you two lovebirds to sort out your own problems?"

"If we say yes, will you not attack that guy anymore?" I demand.

"I make no promises." Nishiki said before bidding us adieu.

Touka punched me in the shoulder, crisis averted. I turn to look at our new acquaintance, only to have my suspicions answered, Kaneki does indeed have one red eye, but it's located on his left, rather than right. If you dressed him up like me and dyed his hair brown, he'd be an exact mirror image of me.

Seeing him like this is absolutely pathetic, I glance at the corpse on the ground, a severed arm was closest. I picked it up and held it out.

"Hungry?" I asked in a teasing tone.

Like a baby expecting a new toy, Kaneki started reaching out towards the arm before forcefully holding his arm back.

"No, I can't..." He said.

"Can't what, survive? Have fun being dead." I said in a deadpan.

"Please, you have to help me!" He rasped, "It might be hard to believe, but I'm actually human, and yet... I want..."

"Then take it." I said throwing the arm to his feet.

"What are you doing?" Touka asked.

"Just watch."

Between Kaneki's demonic sounding grunts and sobbing, he desperately tries to eat the arm, but shoves it away like a kid refusing to eat his vegetables.

"No! If I eat that, I'll stop... I'll stop being..."

"If you're in that much pain, then just eat." Touka said, picking up the arm.

I get the message, I morph my fingers into tendrils, grabbing him by the throat, arms, and legs, pinning Kaneki against the wall. "I'm sorry if this goes against your want, but I just can't stand a crybaby. Touka!"

Touka, for lack of a better term, slam dunks the flesh into Kaneki's mouth, forcing him to choke it down. Easily one of the most satisfying things I've ever done.


	3. Chapter 3

Personally, if you asked me if I had any kinks to be into, I'd answer with domination in a heartbeat. The reason why? Because I don't like it when my prey struggles. As soon as Kaneki swallowed the rest of the flesh, I let him go, in which he responded with vomiting his dinner, rude.

"How... How could you do that to me?! I can't eat someone, you're not gonna turn me into a monster!" He whined.

I rolled my eyes and kicked him upwards and grabbed him by the hair, throwing him against the wall.

"And what did I say about whiners?" I growled before punching him hard in the gut and delivering a right to left hook.

He started to bleed from his mouth, any other injuries immediately healed, and collapsed onto the ground. Isn't this cute, he thinks he's getting away, I step on his back to keep him from running off.

"Call me a monster? You little punk!" I shouted.

"Please, you have to help me." Kaneki wheezed, "I don't know what to do, my world has been shattered!"

Jeez, enough with the melodrama, before I could come back with a snide remark, Touka walked up to us.

"Sure sounds rough, can't say I pity you though." Here comes the ice queen I know and love. "You know, I've always wondered why you humans like cake so much, it taste so disgusting to me that it makes me want to puke. But you guys keep eating it like it's going out of style.

"It must've been nice to live such a peaceful life, one where you don't have to live in fear of CCG or other Ghouls. Think your life sucks now? Cut me a break, this life is all we've ever known, so how do you think that makes us feel?!"

Touka picked up the severed head while I had a smile that could kill puppies. She tossed it into Kaneki's lap, causing him to scream like a cowering school girl, fainting immediately after.

(Cue Jonathan Young's Unravel, ask if you want a full description of what Otto's version of the intro looks like)

I dropped the sucker in one of the booths and we just stood around, waiting for him to wake up. Yoshimura started brewing coffee while Touka and I looked like those punks that hang outside your school, you know the type. Kaneki shot up as the smell of dark roast filled the air.

"Hey, that's smells kinda good." He mumbled.

He sluggishly walked himself to the counter, taking a seat. Kaneki stared into the dark brown liquid wrapped in porcelain.

"What's the matter, you don't like coffee?" Yoshimura asked.

After a little back and forth between the two, Yoshimura convinces Kaneki to try the brew. Unsurprisingly, Kaneki exclaims that it taste normal, fun fact, the only human food that 99.9% of Ghouls can consume is, you guessed it, coffee. I have no answer, only more questions. Yoshimura then gives a history lesson about Ghouls and coffee, then a pound of flesh wrapped in a brown paper bag.

"Remind me why we should help that guy, he seems like a oversized manchild to me." I scoff, not even trying to sugarcoat.

"Because it's our policy, Otto. I shouldn't be the one to remind you of that." Yoshimura says in a calm tone, with a slight tinge of annoyance.

Yeah, policy, short for long term pain in the ass. Yoshimura sent us both upstairs while he finished cleaning up.

"Just my luck, when I thought you were the worst it would get." Touka joked.

"I'll take that as a compliment. But you're a bigger handful."

We laughed before stopping at our doors, I just realized, we are right across from another. Maybe I could...

"Hey, Touka?" I clear my throat slightly.

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna follow Kaneki around tomorrow, when I'm done, you want to do something?" I ask, trying to avoid fumbling my words.

Touka's face went a little red before she... Smiled. She's so beautiful when she smiles.

"Are you trying to ask me out?" She says, walking a little closer to me.

"Well, I don't actually want to go anywhere in particular, unless you want to. I was more thinking that we'd see what they got at the video store and watch movies..." I'm getting a little red myself.

Touka's smile grows a little more mischievous before she gets right in my face.

"Of course I will, I hope you have good taste." She says before planting a kiss on my nose and going to her room, shutting the door behind her.

I touched the spot that she kissed. I'm... I'm getting drowsy... But at least I know now, I am in love with Touka. I've only known her for a few months, but I feel as if I can trust her. This girl, I just... I can feel it, she's more important than any of us realize yet.

The next day, I tracked Kaneki to his college, his friend seems to be doing well. In case you're wondering, I followed him on foot, but I didn't wear the mask. It seemed that the hood did wonders in protecting my skin, I've got one of those complexions where I burn easy, never tan. Kaneki and Hide were in there for a while, but they soon exited with...

"Nishiki?!" I hissed to myself.

Yeah, Kaneki is well aware that this guy is a Ghoul, but chooses to follow him anyway. How the hell are you still in college when you already won the gold medal for champion dumbass?

"I'll just stick to the shadows for now." I whisper, using my sense of smell to track Kaneki and Nishiki.

They didn't walk far, but I still feel like I'm getting pulled along with a thread. They end up in a underpass, then Nishiki knocks out Hide with a spin kick, he seems to like those.

"I don't think he needs to see this." Nishiki says while adjusting his glasses. "And here I thought that I was the only Ghoul on campus."

He takes a sniff to the air, I don't think he's noticed me yet.

"Man, you smell like my girlfriends perfume!" He said before grabbing Kaneki by the neck and holding him Darth Vader style.

Nishiki went on about how he thought Kaneki wanted to eat Hide, and Kaneki's constant denial just made him laugh. He just kept taunting Kaneki until... Well, Kaneki essentially threw a temper tantrum, but instead of throwing toys around, he finally activated his Kagune, it's the exact same as Rize's, but slightly darker red. Kaneki went absolutely apeshit, brutally stabbing Nishiki multiple times until he looked like a corpse, left the bastard hanging on one of the rails up top. Then Kaneki just... stood there, not really doing anything, until he started speaking.

"No way, I can't eat him... He's my friend."

It sounds to me like he's having a one sided conversation with himself, because all I hear are his responses. Maybe he thinks that he can talk his Ghoul instincts out of eating Hide?

"Yeah, I can..." Kaneki said before manically giggling, "Now that you mention it, he does look tasty!"

I start making steps, but I'm really not in the mood to suffer from brutal lacerations.

"Wait, no! What the hell am I doing?! What instincts?! He's... all mine?" He started laughing like a kid in middle school who thinks if he acts like an insane clown, people will think he's cool. "You're right, maybe I should follow my instincts for once! He's like a special treat made just for me!"

Is it bad that I'm actually getting worried? Guy's making me look normal by comparison.

"Well, page the doctor, because you're gonna need a straitjacket." I said, finally making my show stopping appearance.

"Leave me alone!" He growled, I just clicked my tongue and shook my head.

"Poor boy, so hungry that you've lost your reason. Whatever, eat him, what do I care? But between you and me, if you eat him, you'll be walking down a path soaked in blood, entrails, and regret."

BGM: Endless Despair - Little V

Kaneki growled like a mindless animal, this made me smile. We both activated our Kagunes at once.

"Fine, have it your way, but don't come bitching about it later! If it'll take some force to get it through you, then so be it!" I said before lunging at him with the claws.

He covered above himself in hopes of knocking me back, I just dig my claws in as deep as they'll go. Kaneki shook me off and managed to impale me, but in his weakened state, he can't do much. The only reason he was able to brutalize Nishiki was because he was caught somewhat off guard.

"Merely a flesh wound." I laugh before ripping his tendril from my stomach.

His expression changed to worried while I dashed forward, returning the favor by stabbing him through the chest and throwing him to the ground. His tendrils wrapped around my leg, whipping me around the underpass, dragging me through concrete before tossing me up.

"Guess I'll have seconds too!" Kaneki roared.

"You wish." I rumbled before morphing my right arm into a blade and spinning quickly towards Kaneki.

His Kagune did little to defend against the momentum of my swing, tendrils actually collapsed under the shear force, adding some more pain to our maddened pal. Blood shot everywhere as Kaneki screamed. He swung his Kagune around frantically, maybe he's thinking he'd get me if I had no space to avoid his attacks. He hit me a couple of times, it's starting to sting like hell. I trip him before grappling him with the whipfist, slamming him into the ground at least eight times before throwing him.

"So long-a, Kaneki!" I tauntigly shout.

There was a small thud and silence.

"Diiiiieeeeeee!" Kaneki screamed as he jettisoned towards me.

"What's the matter? Don't like needles?" I taunt.

"Die, die, die!" Now he's resorting to using a single word, nicht gut.

Needing a new plan, I run at Kankei as fast as I can with my shield arms in hopes of knocking him over, he jumped out of the way only to be pulled back with a tendril and punched hard with a hammerfist. I drop the Kagune and resort to hand-to-hand. Delivering a powerful right cross directly to Kaneki's face, then a left hook, gut punch, and a hard slap to the ear. His movements grow more and more weary by the second, I just need a bit more time. I eventually do knock him out with a upper-downercut from the hammer fist. I dragged him and his friend back to Anteiku, practically collapsing as soon as I walked in. The last thing heard was Touka screaming my name.

When I woke up, I was in my bed, bandages around where Kaneki stabbed me. Touka rested her head with her arms folded, right on top of me. She's cute when she sleeps. I run my fingers through her hair, just enjoying the moment.

"How long have you waited here?" I whispered, slightly rousing Touka from her sleep.

I managed to worm myself from bed and rest Touka on the couch. She's smiling slightly. Almost immediately as I exit the room, Yoshimura is waiting for me.

"It seems Kirishima has taken a liking to you." He says.

"Not surprised, knew it would happen eventually." I say in a cool tone.

We stood in silence for a moment.

"We should probably check on our guest." Yoshimura said before leading me to the other room.

Kaneki was laying, passed out on the couch. His chest rose and fell softly,he'd probably survive a few more beatings. Damn, how was he that strong? He's had Rize's organs for a month or so, right? If not, he's just activated his kagune and clearly had no idea on how to use it, remember, there's a difference between swinging a sword and training in fencing, one has more effort and finesse put into it.

"Well, my job's done." I mumble before heading back to Touka.

She's awake now, rumaging through my closet. After a few minutes, she finds an old DVD player. While dusting it off, Touka notices me starting at her.

"Hey." I said, walking closer to the indigo haired beauty.

"...Idiot..." Touka mumbled something under her breath.

"I'm sorry, I should've gotten you first, maybe I would've come back in one piece." I stare at my feet.

Touka says nothing, she hugs me tightly, stinging my wound a bit. I swear that I can hear her crying.

"Do you have any idea on how worried I was?! I thought I would've lost you!"

That seals it, she likes me. I wonder if I can pull this off without getting punched. Without saying another word, I pull Touka's face up and kiss her. She doesn't try to resist, she instead gives into it and deepens the lip lock. After what felt like years, we finally part.

"Hey, Touka?"

"Yeah, Otto?"

"You want to watch some movies?"

"Of course I do."

* * *

The plot thickens, Otto and Touka's relationship officially begins, and Kaneki is still a whiny bitch. In other news, the sky is blue, grass is green, water is wet, Trump is a moron, and I'm not wearing pants. What will happen next? Find out, next time on King of Marrow!

Sorry for the slightly shorter chapter, episode two doesn't really have that much to write home about, at least I gave you something the anime didn't, a proper fight scene with a berserker Kaneki. So, what should I do for the next chapter, go on to episode three, or try to make something original? I'll let you be the judge, cause I got ideas cooking up, just ready to be served. Be sure to leave a review and have a swell day


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